


This Could Be Us

by SelenaTerna



Series: Prompt Fics [17]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Based on what happened to me on a plane, Established Relationship, F/M, Humour, Romance, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, this isn't my fault
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-06-12 22:51:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15350508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SelenaTerna/pseuds/SelenaTerna
Summary: The Doctor and Rose have to board a flight to get to the TARDIS. Of course, as is usually the case, the flight doesn't quite go as expected.





	This Could Be Us

**Author's Note:**

  * For [goingtothetardis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/goingtothetardis/gifts).



> Hello, my lovelies. This ficlet is in response to goingtothetardis' prompt 'senior citizens, nine x rose', and is based on an experience I had on the flight home from Rome. Heidi and Haley can attest to this because they both messaged me and I was dying during that flight. The flight attendants were real, the little old couple was REAL, that old woman said it all FOR REAL and I almost choked so many times its a miracle I survived that flight. And yes, the young woman in question was me and that old lady really said that! Hope you enjoy, or don't hate at least!  
> Thanks to goingtothetardis for the quick read through!

“Can’t believe it’s come to _this_.”

Rose rolled her eyes and sank back into her chair. “’S just a plane, Doctor.”

“Exactly!” The Doctor folded his arms. “Last of the Time Lords, me,owner of the most magnificent time and space ship in the universe, an’ here I am aboard this ridiculous contraption.”

She cringed. “Keep it down with the time and space bit,” she hissed, looking around to make sure they hadn’t been overheard. “This is 2018, Doctor, an’ these people will think you’re mental if you start goin’ on about the TARDIS.”

He slouched back in his seat sulkily. “Lovely. Only been inside this heap of metal for a few minutes and you’re already tellin’ me to be quiet.”

“‘M not tellin’ you to be quiet.” Rose rolled her eyes at his melodrama. “‘M tellin’ you to watch what you say so I don’t have to break you out of a mental health ward!”

“Well, excuse me for bein’ concerned that my TARDIS is somewhere in the middle of the desert!”

“Well, it’s not my fault that she got caught in a translocation beam!” She turned to him pleadingly. “Give it a rest, Doctor, please.”

“Fine,” he grumbled. “Be like that.”

Rose rubbed at her forehead and turned to a passing flight attendant. “‘Scuse me, how long is this flight?”

“The estimated flight time is six hours and fifteen minutes, madam,” the handsome Italian replied with a smile.

She sighed. “Somehow I think it’s goin’ to be a lot longer than that.”

“Would madam care for a drink?”

“God yes!” She glanced sidewaysat her husband, who was staring moodily out the window and muttering under his breath, and decided he probably wouldn’t want a drink in his current mood. “Can I have a Margarita, please?”

“Right away, madam.”

“Thanks.” She sighed, sinking back into the plush seat as he turned away with a warm smile.

“What was that all about, then?”

“What?” She turned to look at the irritated man-child next to her. “Just orderin’ a cocktail.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Bit friendly for a bloke takin’ a drinks order, wasn’t he?”

“You’re kiddin’ me. You’re _jealous_?” She laughed. “Of the flight attendant? I spoke to him for like a minute!”

“He smiled too much.”

“Doctor, he has to smile at the passengers! It’s his job. ‘Sides.” She shrugged. “He’s Italian, an’ they’re friendly people.”

“Long as he doesn’t get _too_ friendly,” the Doctor muttered.

“Oh, come _on_ , Doctor!” she groaned. “Don’t be like that. Can’t we just enjoy this? ’S my first time flying overseas and my first time flying first-class!” She looked at him pleadingly. “We have six hours and fifteen minutes to Dubai- can’t we just relax for a bit?”

He stared at her stonily for a few moments before his expression softened. “Fine. Let’s pretend we’re pleased to be in this death trap.”

“Doctor!”

“Alright, alright!” He sighed. “Let’s pretend we’re pleased to be in this marvel of twenty-first century engineering.”

“Better.” She gave him a tongue-touched smile before resting her head on his shoulder. “’S just a bit of time in between, is all.”

He slipped his arm about her shoulders and pulled her into him. “S’pose” he muttered less heatedly.

She smiled to herself and snuggled into his jacket only to sit up as a throat wascleared nearby.

“Your cocktail, madam.”

“Oh, thanks!” She beamed at the handsome Italian. 

“It is entirely my pleasure,” he winked, before turning to go.

Rose sipped at her cocktail appreciatively. “Mmmmm, this is good, Doctor- want some?”

He raised an eyebrow as a elderly couple was seated in front of them. “No, thanks- not much of a Margarita person, me.”

She shrugged. “Your loss. ’S really good!”

“I’ll be right, thanks.” He exhaled. “Still think he smiled too much.”

“Oh, come on, Doctor-”

“Vould Madam care for something to eat?”

“Sorry?” Rose blinked at the sudden interruption, and turned to find a blond-haired, blue-eyed male flight attendant beaming at her. “Um, no, thanks, ‘m ok for now."

“You are certain, madam? Ve haf some delicious biscuits.” He winked conspicuously at her. Twice.

She shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah, ‘m sure. Thanks though.”

He grinned even more brightly at her, his smile so wide it looked painful “Perhaps you vill change your mind?”

“Perhaps you should stop flirtin’ with m’wife and get back to work!” The Doctor scowled at the other man and Rose bit her lip to keep from laughing as he blinked in surprise.

“Heinrich! What are you doing?” The Italian arrived and smiled apologetically at the Doctor and Rose. “ _Scuse_ for the disturbance, _Signore, Signora_.” With that, he pulled the blond man away.

Rose exhaled. “I really hope he doesn’t that keep that up the whole way.”

+++++

Two hours later, she was ready to pull out her hair. As soon as the plane had taken off, and cabin service resumed, the Italian, whose name tag said ‘Alessandro’, was back, serving everyone in his flirtatiously friendly manner and chatting away with the passengers. Unfortunately, the blond Heinrich was of a more awkward disposition and yet seemed to be determined to emulate the more effervescent Alessandro, with less than stellar results.

“That was painful,” she said to the Doctor after the German man’s latest attempt at flirtation, which had ended with him knocking his head on the overhead locker.

He snorted, turning back to his book. “I’ll say. How long until we get off this contraption?”

“Too long,” she grumbled, sinking back into her chair, idly tuning in to the conversation in front of her. Realising that the elderly Italian couple was discussing Heinrich, she sighed. She’d forgotten that the TARDIS translated everything for her, even when she wasn’t close by.

“He’s trying too hard,” the woman was saying, shaking her head. “People should just be themselves instead of trying to copy others.”

Her husband snorted. “Especially when you’re _that_ awkward.”

“Exactly,” the woman said to her husband. After a pause, she added, “You know, he reminds me of you.”

Rose bit her lip, trying not to laugh.

“You said I was charming!” The old man protested.

The woman rolled her eyes. “No, I said you were about as charming an old shoe left in the sun for a week.” She shook her head. “Typical. You only listen to the first half!”

Turning to another woman sitting close-by, she shook her head. “If you get married, my dear, make sure he’s a mute. That way he can’t give you a headache with his nonsense.”

“Ha!” The old man scoffed. “You don’t let me get a word in except on my birthday! And sometimes not even then!”

By this point, Rose, and the Doctor, and the majority of the surrounding passengers were in fits of laughter. A young woman sitting off to the left was laughing so hard that she was gasping for breath, and the elderly woman noticed.

“‘Sandro!” She called to the Italian flight attendant. “She can’t breathe!” She peered up at him through her glasses. “Why don’t you give her some CPR?”

Rose choked on her Margarita, and the young woman in question seemed to have a similar reaction, choking even more loudly.

“What?” The old woman demanded. “What are you waiting for? Look at her! Even my husband can see she’s beautiful and he’s half blind with age!”

“I’m not blind!” The old man protested. “I can see her just like you can and even better because I don’t have my eyes in everybody else’s business!”

“Ha!” The old woman snorted. “You can’t even mind your own business, let alone anybody else’s!”

The young woman in question was squeaking with laughter by this point.

“She’s goin’ to fall into Hypoxia if she keeps this up,” the Doctor muttered.

“Lucky you’re a Doctor, then, innit?” Rose whispered with a cheeky grin, wiping the tears from her face. “God, my tummy hurts from laughin’.”

Meanwhile, a blushing Alessandro, still chuckling, handed the young woman a bottle of water with a smile and a wink before turning to the older woman. “Ah, _Signora,_ I’d much rather kiss you instead!”

The old woman snorted. “Do you think I’m stupid, young man? I know you’re just after my pension!”

The entire cabin burst into laughter at that, and Rose, who had just taken another sip of her drink, choked again. It took a very long time for everybody to settle down, and random giggles could still be heard throughout the cabin for long hours later.

“That could be us one day, Doctor” she sighed, settling her head on his shoulder some time later.

The Doctor turned to her, one eyebrow raised. “What, at each other’s throats? Doubt that, me.”

Rose huffed. “Look again Doctor.”

Peering through the seats, Rose and the Doctor could just see the older woman cutting up her husband’s meal as he carefully draped the napkin on her lap and poured the dressing on her salad.

The Doctor just grunted, but the soft look in his eyes didn’t fool her in the slightest. He obviously found the tender, _domestic_ little scene just as endearing as she did, and he dropped a soft kiss on her lips before turning back to his book.

“Yeah,” Rose whispered to herself, smiling. “That could be us.”

_Fin_

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come follow me on tumblr at countessselena.tumblr.com


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